Life-saving operations are being cancelled at a top hospital because of an acute shortage of consultants, a TD has claimed.

Tommy Broughan revealed Beaumont Hospital has been unable to fill consultant vacancies leading to the postponement of elective surgery.

The Dublin North East TD said the consultant anaesthetist job has been empty for more than three years while another vacancy can’t be filled until next 2016.

He added: “This vacancy has led to a reduction of elective surgeries and apparently is to be re-advertised due to no suitable candidates during the first round of recruitment.

“The consultant paediatric anaesthetist post is also still vacant but apparently has been recruited and has an agreed start date of January 2016.

“The impact of this delay is also a reduction in elective surgeries.”

The hospital’s A&E department has also been under pressure in recent weeks with the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation describing it as “dangerously overcrowded” and calling for it to be taken off call. On one day last week 39 admitted patients were waiting on trolleys and chairs.

The TD added: “The consultant transplant surgeon post has been vacant since December 1 last year due to the lack of successful candidates and the impact has been that routine surgery in delayed.

“Another consultant transplant surgeon is currently on rest days until the end of June and no locum is available. The consultant histopathologist post has been vacant since October 2014.”

Tommy Broughan (left) (Image: Collins Photo Agency)

Deputy Broughan said the €1.769 billion taken out of the health service in recent years has resulted in huge waiting lists and a sub-standard service.

He added: “I met Bill Maher, the new CEO of the RCSI Group, in Beaumont on Friday where he and his colleagues gave a very comprehensive presentation on the needs of Beaumont Hospital and the RCSI group of hospitals.

“These figures clearly highlight the importance of having a full complement of staff.

“The [health] minister needs to act now. He keeps saying it is not a funding issue but clearly with nearly €2billion being taken out of the service per annum since 2009 it is without a doubt having a negative impact now.”